Community News for March 17, 2017

Friday

Mar 17, 2017 at 8:35 AMMar 17, 2017 at 8:35 AM

ROME

Eastern Air Defense Airmen honored

for excellence

The following New York Air National Guardsmen from the Eastern Air Defense Sector’s 224th Air Defense Group have been selected as annual award winners by the First Air Force and New York Air National Guard:

Master Sgt. James Burke of Camden and Tech. Sgt. John McCormick of Oriskany Falls won awards administered by the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region-First Air Force headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. Burke was the Command and Control Warrior of the Year in the enlisted category and McCormick was named Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.

Master Sgt. Natasha VanDeusen, Rome, received the New York Air National Guard’s Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year award.

Burke was recognized for his performance as a mission crew commander technician, where he was ranked first among 20 airmen at EADS. Burke also led his section to the highest-possible rating during the Air Combat Command Capstone Inspection, while maintaining a 4.0 grade point average in his military history master’s degree program.

McCormick was recognized for his expertise in maintaining and repairing radar, computer servers and software. Hand-picked by the National Guard Bureau to support work related to automated command and control tasks, he completed his college degree in audio engineering with a 3.6 grade point average, while finishing the Air Force’s NCO Academy course eight months ahead of schedule.

VanDeusen, the state’s Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, led her section to an Inspector General’s Superior Team award during the recent ACC Capstone Inspection. A mentor and leader, she was selected to teach Air Forces standards to junior Airmen and serve as unit’s Equal Opportunity representative, ensuring equal treatment for more than 400 members.

WHITESBORO

Zonta Club’s annual brunch set for April 2

The Zonta Club of Utica will celebrate its 25th Annual Champagne Brunch starting at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, April 2, at Hart’s Hill Inn, 135 Clinton St.

During the brunch, men and women from the business and professional community will serve as waiters. This year, several members of the Utica Comets hockey team have volunteered to be waiters.

Food, wine and other specialty baskets will be up for bid, plus silent auction items. The brunch also will honor several women who served as waitresses at the first Zonta brunch in 1993.

Since its first brunch, this event has raised some $331,000 for various women’s services and charities locally and internationally. More than $200,000 has been given to the Breast Care Center at Mohawk Valley Health System.

The remainder of the brunch proceeds have been donated to many high school students as scholarships to help them through college; as scholarships to women returning to college after raising a family, and to various local social service agencies. Funds also are contributed to the national Amelia Earhart Foundation.

Tickets for the brunch are $25 and can be purchased by emailing cpercia@gmail.com by today.

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